Ive found a 91 with 88K on it, thats why I ask about the differences. I
would have 2 whole trucks to work with as far as parts go, so I should be
able to make it work. BUT, as far as the trans goes, couldnt I just switch
the bell housing? I thought that those bolts were just on the inside,
behind the TC?
TJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terrible Tom" <SilverEightynine@aol.com>
To: <dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net>
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 2:52 PM
Subject: Re: DML: Re: Difference between 91 and 92-up
>
> Josh Battles wrote:
> > "Terrible Tom" <SilverEightynine@aol.com> wrote in message
> > news:413368C5.7080106@aol.com...
> >
> >>Not possible - as I found this out the hard way trying to get Christine
> >>ready for this past BBQ. I have been learning all of this stuff the
> >>hard way it seems LOL. The transmissions guts are the same between a
> >>2wd and a 4x4. (assuming we are talking about the same model here - a
> >>46RH/RE) Yes you can swap tail/OD housings. But the front of the
> >>transmission is different. The bellhousing is different. There is an
> >>engine/tranny/front axle brace/bracket, that interconnects all three
> >>componants on the 4x4 Dakota. On the 2wd there is no such brace. I can
> >>get pics later of the two trannys to illustrate what I am talking about
> >>here.
> >
> >
> > Well, if he's already got a 4x4 and swapping it onto a 2wd frame, I'd
think
> > his trans would have this piece on it already because it's probably just
a
> > brace on the trans case or engine anyway. Why wouldn't he just be able
to
> > pull the engine/trans as a unit and install it as a unit? The starter
> > shouldn't bolt to anything other than the engine. I can see where you
may
> > have ran into an issue trying to use a totally different trans, but his
are
> > already put together. So, this logic applied, wouldn't he have some of
the
> > same issues you had if he were to try and bolt up a 2wd transmission??
>
> The bell housings on my 2wd and my 4x4 tranny are totally different.
> Here's the kicker. The engine in christine was originally in the 2wd.
> When I went to bolt the 2wd tranny up to the engine it was originally
> used with, the problem was with the bell housing on the drivers side.
> I'll have to get pics to show you. I forgot how the starter mounts on
> teh 2wd - but on the 4x4 - it bolts TO the bellhousing - not the engine.
>
> >
> > It just doesn't make sense that dodge would cast two seperate engine
blocks
> > and trans bellhousings - one for 2wd and another for 4wd.
>
>
> Engines are the same - bellhousings arnt
>
> >>When I tried to use a 2wd trans in a 4x4 truck, I had no place to mount
> >>the starter and no place to bolt up that support brace. The physical
> >>design of the two tranny bellhousings were different. Granted this was
> >>an A-500 - but the fundimental design of the 2wd vs 4x4 engine/tranny
> >>mounting is the same all the way up to the Gen III's. I got a good look
> >>at the underbelly of Mikes truck at the BBQ and there were many changes
> >>but they were basically the same lay out as mine.
> >
> >
> > His truck is already a 4x4, so wouldn't he already have the correct
trans?
> > If it does use a different crossmember, I'd assume he could take that
from
> > the original truck. Since you couldn't bolt up a 2wd trans to your 4wd
> > engine, I think it's a safe bet to assume he'd have some of the same
> > difficulties going the other way. Granted, it may just be some
bracketry,
> > but he's already got a working combination of all the parts he needs.
If it
> > was me, I'd try it with what I've got first before spending the money on
a
> > new trans that has the potential to not be compatable.
> >
> > All this being said, I had a revelation.
> > Why not just swap suspensions? To change the rear, all you'd need to do
> > would be flip the axle over your springs, and in the front, couldn't you
> > just swap spindles?
>
> Differences in the front suspensions are too great I think - the effort
> required to do such a thing would not be worth it if you ask me. I'll
> try and get pics of my two trannys in the next day or so. Off to work I
go
>
>
>
>
> --
> Terrible Tom -- AIM & Yahoo Name: SilverEightynine
> http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/
>
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